Nikola Jokic lives up to his reputation with ice-cool interview amid Nuggets’ NBA title celebrations
‘The job is done, we can go home now’: Nikola Jokic lives up to his reputation with an icy interview during Nuggets’ NBA title celebration
- Jokic finished the game with 28 points, 16 rebounds and four assists in the win
- He was named 11-0 unanimous selection to win the NBA Finals MVP trophy
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic summed up his and the Denver Nuggets’ historic first championship win with a simple but ferocious phrase.
“The job is done, we can go home now,” Jokic said during his post-match interview.
Jokic finished the game with 28 points, 16 rebounds and four assists as he led the Nuggets to a 94-89 victory over the Miami Heat.
At the buzzer, the cameras shot straight at the Serbian star, and instead of celebrating with his teammates, he graciously took the win and made sure to shake hands with all the Miami players.
Ever the cool pro, he then displayed the same composure he exudes on the field when celebrating with his teammates and young daughter.
Nikola Jokic summed up the end of Denver’s championship season perfectly when he said, ‘The job is done, we can go home now’
Jokic had another standout performance as he helped Denver win their first ever NBA Finals
On the field, to add to Jokic’s standout performance, Michael Porter Jr. 16 points and 13 rebounds, Jamal Murray had 14 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 11.
Denver advanced to the ABA Finals in 1976, joined the NBA the following season, and lost four times in the Western Conference Finals before making the title series this season.
Jimmy Butler rallied late to score 21 points for Miami, while Bam Adebayo contributed 20 points and 12 rebounds and Max Strus and Kyle Lowry each had 12 points. The Heat defeated the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks and the second-seeded Boston Celtics en route to representing the Eastern Conference in the Finals.
The Heat became just the second eighth seed to reach an NBA Finals, joining the New York Knicks in 1999, who lost the title series to the San Antonio Spurs.
Perhaps struggling with the magnitude of the moment, the Nuggets shot just 1 of 15 from the 3-point range in the first half and 3 of 8 from the free throw line. However, they trailed only 51-44 at halftime before leading by a whopping three points in the third quarter. Denver entered the fourth quarter trailing 71-70.
Jokic won the NBA Finals MVP trophy while holding his young child during the ceremony
A jump hook from Jokic early in the final period gave the Nuggets a 72-71 lead with 11:39 to play before both teams turned up their defensive intensity. After neither side scored for a 2:35 stretch, Jamal Murray’s 4-yard pullup jumper gave Denver an 81–76 lead with 6:43 left.
A Jokic runner put the Nuggets up 83-76 with 4:43 left as the Heat opened the fourth quarter 2 of 16 from the field. Butler came alive in the final period and scored the team’s final 13 points, including three free throws that were awarded, even though he kicked his right leg out and caught an opponent on a 3-point attempt. However, Miami failed to score above the final 1:57.
A Bruce Brown rebound and putback basket put the Nuggets up 90–89 with 1:31 left, and a steal followed by two free throws from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with 24.7 seconds remaining gave Denver a 92–89 lead.
Butler missed a three-point effort with 17.1 seconds left, and Brown sealed the title with two free throws for a 94–89 lead with 14.3 seconds left.